1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermoformed, sheet plastic, semi-rigid carrier for carrying a multiplicity of filled and capped glass or plastic bottles from the upper portions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,094 (Berry, et al) describes a semi-rigid, thermoformed sheet plastic carrier for carrying a multiplicity of filled and capped glass or plastic bottles from the upper portions thereof. In such a carrier each bottle is retained in an opening in a top panel of the carrier by a circular array of yieldable tabs that engage the underside of the cap of the bottle to retain the bottle in the carrier until such time as a user desires to remove the bottle by pulling it through the array of tabs. Each bottle receiving opening of the carrier of the aforesaid U.S. patent is shown as having four of such tabs with adjacent tabs being separated by an enlarged space, the inside diameter of the opening that is defined by the inner type of such tabs exceeding the outer diameter of the closure to be inserted in such opening, and with the width of each such space being almost as great as the width of the inside tip or edge of each of the tabs which it separates. Carriers of the aforesaid type have been widely used in the packaging of filled bottles which are capped with 28 mm aluminum roll-on closures of various types, such closures having been widely utilized in the beverage industry for the past several years. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,601,273 (Kutcher) and 4,007,851 (Walker).